MONTREAL — Thousands of women gathered in downtown Montreal today to mourn the loss of legendary Féria hair colour, “Bold Burgundy #188”.
The candlelight vigil, organized by local salon owner Simone Paré, was held in front of the L’Oréal Canada offices on Robert-Bourassa Boulevard. “We have suffered a great loss,” says Paré. “We loved #188. It was not too red, yet also not too purple. It was a bit rock and roll, un peu “edgy”, but also very chic. This was part of our identity. And now, it’s gone.”
The mass of fiery haired women spilled into the streets of Montreal’s downtown core, disrupting rush hour traffic and continuing to cause congestion well into the evening. While many police officers were dispatched to the location to intervene, responding officers refused to take action. “I know my mother is in that crowd. And over there, that’s my Tante Claudine,” explained Officer Michel Delormier. “If I lay a hand on anyone here, I’ll never hear the end of it. Ask any of my colleagues and they’ll tell you the same. It’s just not worth it.”
While the overall tone of the crowd was sombre, a handful of attendees expressed anger towards the situation. “It’s taking everything in me not to throw a rock through that window!” exclaimed Celine Hoult, a therapist and mother of three who traveled from Saguenay, Quebec to attend the event. “What’s next, a province-wide ban on asymmetrical bobs? It’s simply unconstitutional!”
At press time, the mob had subsided and city workers were removing debris made up of oversized colourful buttons, “funky” knit caps, and John Fluevog shoes.
